


Expectations

by DesertVixen



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Memory, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-03 18:30:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19469692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertVixen/pseuds/DesertVixen
Summary: Cordelia and Laisa's first meeting...Takes place during Memory





	Expectations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SunlitStone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunlitStone/gifts).



Laisa had to admit she was more nervous about this afternoon meeting than she had been about the evening that put everything in motion. After all, then she had only been hoping for a chance to advance her trade group’s economic agenda – and yes, maybe see a little of the vaunted Vorbarr Sultana social scene. She hadn’t expected to lobby the Emperor of Barrayar himself, but the Toscane family hadn’t risen to their current position by ignoring unexpected chances.

She hadn’t expected to be so charmed by the Emperor, by the smile that she had never seen on a holovid.

She hadn’t expected to fall in love with the Emperor – with Gregor.

*** 

This afternoon meeting, however, had plenty of expectations attached. Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan, the Vicereine of Sergyar, Countess Vorkosigan, wife to the Butcher of Komarr, Betan Survey Captain. Galactic who had chosen to embrace Barrayar. She was a woman who had definitely made an impact.

Most importantly, she was Gregor’s foster mother. 

Of course, that made the Butcher of Komarr Gregor’s foster father, although she was starting to think that perhaps the history behind that epithet was more complicated than the version she’d learned in Komarran school. On one hand, there was the Solstice Massacre. On the other hand, he had fought a civil war not to seize power for himself, but to protect a five-year-old boy’s throne. Seeing the man that boy had grown into made Laisa think that Aral Vorkosigan couldn’t be as bad as he was painted.

However, she didn’t have to meet him today.

Lord Vorkosigan, of course, was his foster brother, and she gathered that Captain Vorpatril was a cousin. They both seemed very likable, and Duv Galeni spoke highly of them, if with some underlying aggravation. 

Today she was only meeting Cordelia Vorkosigan at tea with Lady Alys. Laisa had told Lord Vorkosigan that she looked forward to meeting his mother, that she felt she could learn from her, and she was. It was just dawning on her that the Vorkosigans would be her in-laws, for lack of a better word. 

It had not made her less nervous.

*** 

Laisa had seen holovids of Cordelia Vorkosigan, but an image lacked the force of personality that crackled around the tallish woman with roan-red braids wrapped around her head, her beige outfit an unexceptional example of Barrayaran women’s fashion. 

Laisa’s parents had sent her a message after her visit with them, one in which they seemed greatly reassured about the prospect of their daughter marrying the Emperor. Her father had even commented on Cordelia Vorkosigan’s sharp common sense, and her warning that the Emperor would not be induced to favor his wife’s family. 

Laisa hadn’t been entertaining that idea anyway. Her vision was much bigger, an economic vision that would not only benefit the Toscanes, but Komarr and the Imperium as a whole. She might have to acquire a new area of expertise in Barrayaran society skills, but Laisa had no intent of giving up economics, not when there was so much material to work with on Barrayar. 

“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you since we received Gregor’s message,” Cordelia said, offering her hand to Laisa. “It was a very welcome message. Aral asked me to convey his desire to get to know you.”

Alys nodded as she poured tea, offered pastries. “Barrayar has been too long without an Empress.”

“My concern is primarily for Gregor,” Cordelia commented as she accepted her plate. 

“Mine is as well,” Alys replied smoothly. “But it is a great deal easier for you to not be concerned about Vorbarr Sultana society from Sergyar. Not that you are overly concerned with it when you are here.”  
Cordelia nodded, and Laisa repressed a grin. It was clear that these two had been friends for a long time. She had found Lady Alys to be incredibly valuable, even if some of the etiquette reading she had passed along made Laisa’s head spin. Gregor’s respect for Lady Alys was clear, even if they both found some of her opinions…restricting.

“Your parents asked me to send their love, of course. I rather enjoyed the talk with them. It gives us great pleasure indeed to see that Gregor has found a partner.”

“I’m very pleased as well,” Laisa said warmly, a smile flickering over her lips. “Even if it’s not quite what I expected.”

“Life so rarely is,” Cordelia said softly. “I assure you, nothing about the last thirty years of my life has been anything like what I planned. Of course, you will have the advantage of starting with a more modern Barrayar.”

The conversation turned more general, as Laisa was able to relax and enjoy the conversation with Cordelia. She could see just how Cordelia had eased her parents’ nerves. It wasn’t until all the pastries had been consumed, that the conversation returned to changes.

“I presume you will be using a uterine replicator,” Cordelia said easily. 

“Of course,” Laisa replied. “Gregor and I have discussed it.” It had been one of the topics that he had been quite upfront about, in his zeal to ensure that she knew precisely what she was getting into. She didn’t deny that a few of them had given her pause, but none of them were enough to make her turn him down. They would get through all of it together. 

“I really did think the uterine replicators would have caught on more quickly with the Counts,” the older woman mused. “After all, the guarantee of a male firstborn to inherit should have been enough.”

Lady Alys smiled wryly. “I would think it would have caught on more quickly with the Countesses.”

Cordelia turned to Laisa. “The replicators have caught on to a certain degree with the Barrayaran population in general, but the Counts still need some work.”

“To be fair,” Alys said, “the young Counts are quite outnumbered. The Vorvolks used one, of course, but Henri is one of Gregor’s good friends. The Empress of Barrayar, however, will be able to set the fashion.”

“To be honest,” Laisa said after a moment, “that’s not the only change I would like to see happen.”

Cordelia smiled. “I do believe you will be good for Barrayar.” 

Laisa smiled back. “I certainly intend to try.”

She found herself looking forward to the challenge.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! I have wanted to see more of the interactions between Laisa and Cordelia myself, so enjoyed the chance to write this.


End file.
